Associate Professor
College of Business, Government and Law
Dr Rob Manwaring is an Associate Professor, teaching and researching in the area of political science and public policy. Rob's research interests are mostly in the area of political parties and centre-left politics, and Australian politics. Rob is the current Teaching Program Director for the Government group at Flinders.
Rob is an active media commentator on political issues, including both Australian national and state politics, and also British and European politics. Rob has significant media and public engagement which includes the ABC, BBC, CNN, and articles in the Washington Post, New York Times, The Australian Financial Review and the Guardian. Rob is also a regular contributor to The Conversation.
Prior to academia, Rob's background is in public policy, and he worked for the UK's Commission for Racial Equality as a senior policy adviser, and also for the South Australian Council of Social Services.
Rob is an active member of the Australian Political Studies Association (APSA). Rob was President of APSA in 2024, and serves on APSA's Board of Directors (from 2024-2026). Rob is a past convenor of the APSA 'Political Organisations and Parties' group, current co-convenor of the Teaching and Learning Specialist Group, and is also a member of the British PSA's Labour Movements Group. Rob also served on the editorial team of the Australian Journal of Political Science (2022-2024).
BA Jt Hons
MSc (Politics and Sociology)
PhD
Rob is the current Teaching Program Director for the government group
Rob's teaching interest include: Australian politics, social democratic and labour democratic politics, public policy, political participation and consultation, British political tradition, European politics.
If you are interested in taking a PhD at Flinders with Rob - his core research interests are:
Rob is a member of the Australian Political Science Association, and the British Political Studies Association
Rob delivers a range of executive education initiatives with the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA - SA division)
Rob undertakes community and outreach activities for a range of institutions including secondary schools and the University of the Third Age.